Torrey Pines State Reserve;a Jewel Of Nature

Torrey Pines State Reserve encompasses 2,000 acres of land on the Southern California coast. It is located in the San Diego city limits. The area remains undeveloped and unspoiled. The Reserve includes a rare species of the Torrey Pine tree. This tree is so rare, it is only found in two places-on the Reserve and on Santa Rosa Island. There are plenty of beaches and seabirds that make the Reserve's lagoon home. The trails span eight miles and you can take a nature walk with a guide on weekends and holidays.

The Reserve is known worldwide and is visited by many each year. Some come for the authentic nature environment, others come to exercise on the walking trail and others come just to see the beautiful views. Since the resources at the Reserve are in limited supply, it is strongly advised that visitors do not harm or damage the plants and flowers.

All of the parkland areas are protected and visitors are not allowed to remove the flowers and plants. Visitors are also prohibited from feeding the animals. The Reserve is very protective of their areas of nature. Because of this, visitors cannot pick up or collect items that belong in the Reserve. They do not want any unknown substances to interfere with the animals or the environment. For that reason, you are not allowed to bring any outside food into the Reserve; it is only allowed on the beach area.

The Reserve has several different trails within its confines:

The Guy Fleming Trail is the easiest to navigate through. It has a level base and the scenery is different. Some of the things you'll see are ocean vistas and spring wildflowers. Gray Whales can be spotted during the winter season. Bottlenose Dolphins are subject to come out anytime.

The Parry Grove Trail is separated from everything else. The entry and exit area is has a sharp maneuvering process, but is slightly difficult to deal with. The grove was damaged by lack of water and a mass of bark beetles. However, it is slowly coming back to normal.

The Beach Trail has access to the beach that is well known. This trail lacks in the scenic route department. There are not many trees in the area. Using this trail, you have to beware of the tides. During the winter, storms come through and wash away a majority of the sand from the beach. If you like to walk, you may have a hard time because of the rocks and cobbles along the way.

The waters in the beach area are close to semi-tropical. The Reserve area experiences mild winters and moderate summer conditions. This weather causes marine flora and fauna to root up. Along the coast, the water's cool temperatures are derived from Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and Siberia. Even with that, plants and marine animals that can handle cool water can live in the Reserve's warm climate.

The marine animals that live on the Reserve depend on water to thrive. If the tide is washed away, that means their resource is not available. This makes the marine animals uncomfortable and stressed. They become oxygen-challenged. Human beings can get to them faster and they may decide to starve themselves. To get away, they hide under rocks, in places with an opening, under the sand or stay in their shells until the tide comes back. As you can see, water is imperative for them to live a normal life.

For those who wish to visit the Reserve, there are a few things you should know:

* The only animals that are allowed are service dogs (seeing-eye dogs); no other dogs or animals are allowed.

* Camping is not allowed at the Reserve; the Reserve doesn't have any camping facilities, nor are people allowed to spend the night there.

* The only drink that is allowed on the Reserve is water. It is definitely recommended if you plan to go hiking or walking on one of the trails.

There is so much to see here at the Reserve, it would take you a while to go through it all. However, if you're a nature enthusiast, you'll just bask in it.

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